A typical fishing pole has a handle, a rod, and a plurality of line guides spaced apart along the rod. Typically, the rod is a straight rod. A reel seat is provided on the handle for supporting a fishing reel. Line from the reel is guided along the rod via the line guides which are axially aligned along the rod. Line leaves the rod at a distal end via a line guide provided on a tip end of the rod. In many cases, the rod includes a plurality of segments that are joined together with ferrules to enable breakdown and storage of the fishing pole. However, these rods are typically 6, 7, 8 or even 9 feet long which means they are not compact, even when broken down and stowed.
Several attempts have been made to provide a compact fishing pole. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,541,759; 2,559,934; 2,610,427; 3,216,144; 4,027,419; and 5,444,934 disclose various fishing poles with short rods that attempt to provide benefits of longer rods through various structural features.
Fishing rods having high strength-to-weight ratios without abrupt changes in bending strength along their length are desirable. Such strength-to-weight ratios may be achieved using rods wherein the butt end of the rod locks into the end of the handle.
Many fishing rods having a one-piece rod utilize a chuck arrangement at the end of the handle in which threading of the collet of the chuck causes the butt end of the rod to be captured in the chuck. During use, increased stress occurring at the joint between the chuck and the butt of the rod may result in the chuck becoming loose and eventually having the rod break loose from the handle.
In one approach, a rod is secured to the handle of a fishing pole by providing a close tolerance between an end of the rod and a socket formed in the tubular member of the handle. However, since the rod and the handle are not secured against rotation with respect to each other, there is a risk that the reel and line guides may move out of alignment with each other.
Furthermore, such conventional locking devices typically require the provision of close tolerances and snug fit between the end of the fishing rod and the socket of the handle, thereby creating assembly friction from metal-to-metal contact. However, this arrangement requires excessive force to assemble or dismantle the rod from the handle.
In another approach provided by U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,215, a locking device is disclosed for securing a rod to a handle of a fishing rod at a position for a fishing reel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,934 discloses a fishing rod that connects to a resilient support structure. The fishing rod includes a handle for mounting at the butt end of the fishing rod. The butt end of the rod is adapted for mounting in a tube of a nipple having an extension that is configured to extend into and is securely fixed in a hollow tube of a coil spring. The butt end of the rod is slidable into the nipple and is secured therein by a set screw. However, this construction fails to provide ease of convenience in the form of easy assembly and disassembly of the rod from the handle. Furthermore, the handle is not configured to accommodate a variety of fishing rods.
Accordingly, improvements are needed to eliminate the above-described deficiencies.